


The First Steps

by Peridaniel



Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Bad Parents, Gen, Good siblings, Misgendering, Trans Character, Trans Female Character, Trans Female Emira Blight, Trans Male Character, Trans Male Edric Blight, Transphobia, deadnaming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:47:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28329219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peridaniel/pseuds/Peridaniel
Summary: Coming out to your family can be intimidating, but for the Blights, they've got their siblings by their side no matter what.Alternate summary: Two oneshots, one for each Trans Blight Twin possibility.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 42





	1. FTM Edric

**Author's Note:**

> whaaat? mr perry denial writing another trans toh fic in this glorious month of december? and on crimcrams day? Yep, because I'm obsessed with the trans Blight twin headcanons, but I don't know which one I like better (I'm ftm, so obviously ftm Edric resonates with me, but the stories and headcanons I've seen for mtf Emira are AMAZING) so I wrote one for each possibility.
> 
> A quick thing to note: while both of these stories are generally heartwarming with good endings, one of them is gonna have more transphobia in it than the other. This isn't for any reason other than just... this is how I imagine both Ed and Em coming out and those are the natural effects of each of their coming out strategies. 
> 
> Aside from that, I'll leave you to it, and both of these fics are dedicated to any of my trans and nonbinary siblings who are stuck with transphobic family this Christmas. Maybe not as much of a problem as it typically would be because corona (got me out of seeing my toxic family this year), but I'm sure there are still some of you out there. And to people who fit that description, remember that true family accepts you for who you are, and if the people who share your blood don't, then they can fuck off. 💙

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning for this one: fairly malicious deadnaming and misgendering from Mr and Mrs Blight, as well as depictions of gender dysphoria.

"Girls, it's dinner time!" Odalia Blight called up the stairs. 

Edric smiled. _Girls._ Boy, was she about to be in for a surprise. 

He didn't know what exactly prompted him to pick that day to come out to his family. He knew he had to tell them, and he was sick of living as a girl, but there was nothing special about that particular day that made him want to tell them such. No extra dysphoria, no bad experience at school, nothing- he just woke up in the morning and realized how sick he was of hiding himself. How sick he was of Emira and Amity calling him their "sister" and his parents referring to their three "daughters". And so, he made a plan to tell them at dinner. 

_And now, it's time to probably end up regretting that,_ he thought, his smile growing more stiff as he descended the stairs. 

He wondered how surprising it would be. He didn't really make anything he was feeling, dysphoria or anything else, very obvious, and while he had cut his hair months before, it still wasn't exactly _boyish_ and he was fairly open about being attracted to men. For all anyone else knew, Edric was a slightly tomboyish straight girl who never even thought of being anything else. 

But he knew what he was feeling was far more than just being a tomboy. Tomboys didn't feel like strapping down their chests. Tomboys didn't feel like their wide hips and narrow waists were something alien. He thought they did at one point, which was why it took so long to realize why he actually felt the way he did, but he now knew that they didn't. 

After pouring himself a glass of soda to drink with his dinner, he took a seat at the table next to Emira, who was already seated. 

"Hello," he said, a little more relaxed than how he was actually feeling. 

"Hello, Edrea," his mother greeted. "You took a little while to come down from your room, dear. Is there something wrong?" 

Edric leaned back in his chair with a half-smile. "Nah. Just was thinkin'." 

"Good, good." Odalia sat down with a smile. "Perhaps your grades would improve if you did that a little more often." 

Amity held a hand in front of her mouth and snickered. When their mother wasn't looking, Edric glared at her and stuck his tongue out. 

After their father was seated, the family began eating. Edric nibbled at his food and took a few sips of his soda while half-listening to Emira talk about a report she had to do for Demon History (he wondered if she was actually going to do it, since he definitely wasn't planning to) and Amity talk about how she got yet another A+ on an Intermediate Abominations project. 

Eventually, though, the conversation turned back to him. 

"You've been awfully quiet today, Edrea," said Odalia. "What did you do today?" 

Edric shrugged. "Oh, you know... got a B+ on today's Active Illusions project, had a good lunch at school... oh, and I'm a boy." 

The table went silent. Alador, Amity, and Emira all stared at him with confused expressions, and Odalia raised an eyebrow with a frown. 

Alador made an awkward attempt at laughter. "Good joke, dear." 

Odalia's face relaxed and she began laughing along with her husband. "Yes, dear. Odd attempt at humor, but good one nonetheless." 

"I'm not joking," Edric said flatly. "I'm a boy." 

"Really?" Amity and Emira asked simultaneously. 

"Edrea, don't be ridiculous," said Alador. "You're a girl, and you always have been. You can't just be a boy." 

"Your father's right," added Odalia with a nod. "Besides, you like boys. You can't be a boy." 

Edric frowned, feeling his face grow red. "Um..." 

"It's alright, dear," Odalia said, waving her hand dismissively and smiling. "There's no need to be embarrassed. We all get confused at times, especially at your age." 

Looking down in a mix of sadness, anxiety, and embarrassment, Edric saw his chest sticking out from under his school uniform and his light blue pants forming tight around his shapely, far too feminine legs. Would that stupid body ever become what he wanted if no one took him seriously? 

"But... I'm not confused," he said quietly, the pitchiness and whininess of his voice accentuating the sudden attack of dysphoria. "I-I know this is who I am." 

"Edrea, you're thirteen years old," said Alador. "You're impressionable, you're naive, and you haven't finished growing yet. I'm sure as you get older, this whole 'boy' nonsense will pass and you will forget all about it." 

Emira took a sideways glance at Edric before hesitantly speaking. "I don't know, Mom. I don't think you should just tell him-" 

"Her," Odalia said firmly. 

Emira gave him a look. "...that it's just a phase. There are a lot of people who's gender is different from what they were born as. My friend actually recently told me that they weren't a boy or a girl." 

Edric looked at his sister in vague surprise, but their parents didn't look fazed. 

"So your friend is going through a silly phase as well," said Odalia. 

"It doesn't mean that what your _sister_ is feeling is rational," added Alador. 

"But what if it's not a phase?" Emira asked. "What if, years down the line, Edrea still feels that way? Is the chance of it _possibly_ being a harmless phase worth forcing your child to be uncomfortable?" 

"Emira, I will not listen to you stand up for such nonsense," Odalia said. "Your sister is a girl, and she always will be." She glared at Edric. "Perhaps we should let your hair grow out again. Maybe that will get this whole thing out of your head." 

Edric touched his hair. It was already starting to grow too long; it needed a cut. It was the one single thing about him that made him feel like a real boy. 

Amity looked at him from across the table with a concerned frown. She looked at their parents, opening her mouth to speak, before closing it again and looking away. 

"Yes, Amity?" Alador asked. "Do you have something to say about all this?" 

"You're a smart girl, Amity," Odalia said. There was a warning tone in her voice. "I'm sure you know that your sister is just going through a phase, right?" 

Amity opened her mouth again and looked down at her plate before shaking her head and shrugging. 

"I... I don't know," she mumbled. "But, um, if Edrea is actually a boy, would there be something wrong with that?" 

"Of course there would be," Odalia answered firmly. 

"So, um, what is wrong with it?" 

Odalia gasped and narrowed her eyes, but didn't immediately answer. She blinked rapidly and looked down at her plate for a few moments. 

"Well, well... she's a girl, is what's wrong with it!" she finally stammered. "She has the body of a girl, so she is one!" 

"But why does it always have to be like that?" asked Amity. "I know people with bad vision. They were born that way, but they get glasses so they don't stay that way." 

"That's different," said Alador. "They have an actual problem that needs fixing. Being a girl is not a problem." 

"Not to most people," Emira responded. "But to Edrea, it is." 

The table grew silent once again. Finally, Odalia got up out of her chair and swiped up her food. 

"I don't have to listen to this," she muttered. "Come, Alador. We will discuss what we want to do about this." 

Alador wordlessly followed after his wife, leaving their three children at the table in silence. 

"Shoulda seen that one coming," Edric said with a sad smile when his parents were out of earshot. "Didn't think they'd get _that_ mad about it, though." 

Emira nodded and looked down at her plate. "I'm sorry. I tried to get through to them." 

"So did I," Amity said much more quietly. She, too, sadly smiled. "Always their 'smart little girl' until I say something that disagrees with what they think." 

"It's not you guys' fault," Edric said. "As long as you guys are okay with it, I think that's enough." 

"Of course we are." Emira smiled. "What's your name? I know 'Edrea' probably isn't the most masculine one in the world." 

"Edric," he answered. "Not too much of a change, but I didn't really feel like getting creative with it." 

"Okay, Edric." Emira took a look at Amity, who smiled back at her. "Well, I think both me and Mittens are happy to welcome our brother into the family." 

Edric smiled back. "Thanks, guys." 

"Hey, Em, didn't Dad say once that you cried when I was born because you wanted a little brother instead of a little sister?" asked Amity. 

Edric laughed. "Yea, I remember that!" 

"Well, I guess I got my wish," Emira responded as she brushed her fist against the top of Edric's head, messing up his hair. "Three and a half minutes younger is still enough to be considered a little brother, right?" 

She pulled out her scroll and opened a messaging app on it. "Now, I'm gonna see if Jerbo, Barkus, Jerredith, or Epsilon are game to help us get you some guys' clothes, and if they are, we're sneaking outta here." 

"I'll cover for you," Amity said. 

"Really?" Edric asked. 

"Yes," she replied with a half-smile. "You're annoying and a pest, both of you are, but you still deserve to be happy. I won't tell on you for this." 

"Thanks, Mittens," responded Edric, ruffling his little sister's hair. "I guess you can be cool once in a while." 

Amity pushed his hand off and fixed her hair. "Boy or girl, you're still the same person, aren't you?" 

"Uh huh!" Edric shot her a sweet smile. 

Emira closed her scroll and smiled. "Come on, Edric. They say they'll meet us at the clothing vendor in ten minutes. We can take Mom and Dad's staff." 

"Alright! Can I get some novelty tees?" 

"You can get whatever you want. I've got Mom's wallet." 

"Heck yea!" 

Amity's smile faded. "Um, guys-" She paused and waved her hand. "Eh, they were jerks today. Nevermind." 

Edric and Emira flashed their sister a grateful smile and ran out the door. Feeling the wind blow through his hair, Edric felt a warmth in his chest. He envisioned himself with a more masculine face, a flat chest, and a more muscular body. He even imagined having a beard like his father's. The thought was mesmerizing, and with supportive people on his side, it seemed much more possible than what it had before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, obviously, as some of you may have seen from my other TOH fics, I (along with the rest of the fucking fandom) think of Alador as being the "lesser of the two evils," but... come on. He's still not a saint. 
> 
> bad blight parents


	2. MTF Emira

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's not too bad and doesn't have any transphobia, but there are still descriptions of gender dysphoria and Emira being misgendered and called by her deadname (but its only before her siblings know and they instantly gender her correctly once they do know!!! this is a supportive blight sibs fic and they love their sister!!!)

Emira gazed at herself in the bathroom mirror. As usual, she hated everything about what she saw. Her hair had grown to her shoulders, and she liked that, but what did it matter if it was covering an ugly, bony, masculine face? Not to mention her flat chest, narrow hips, and thin legs, all covered by the same dark red tunic and gray pants her brother wore, that shaped her own body in the same way it shaped her brother's. 

It was a horrible sight, but it would be changing. And change would start with coming clean to her family about what she was going through. 

_And I'm gonna do it today,_ she thought, staring at the mirror with narrow eyes. _No chickening out this time._

With that, Emira quickly turned away from the mirror and walked to her and Edric's shared room. With a half-smile, she wondered how much more awkward Edric would find sharing a room with a sister rather than a brother. 

_Maybe too awkward,_ she thought, the smile fading. _What if he gets all weird about it? We're identical twins, and we share a bedroom. What if things get weird?_

As she entered the bedroom, she fell onto her bed with a sigh, picking up the photograph on the nightstand. It was of her and Ed, both aged six, and Amity, aged four. Aside from the different color shirts the two were wearing, she could hardly be differentiated from her brother, and looked just like the boy everyone thought she was. 

_I wonder if I had those feelings back then, too..._ she thought. _If I was just carefree little Emmett Blight, hardly even knowing what "gender" was and going along with the rest of his class and calling girls icky._ She sighed. _Why can't it be like that again? Things were so much easier when I was just an unquestioning boy._

But even looking back on those memories, she remembered the constant, strange feeling of being a boy. The weird feeling she had sharing the same DNA and appearance with masculine-and-confident Edric, and the just plain _wrong_ feeling she had when calling girls icky. There was never a time when she was an unquestioning boy; she was always a girl, and there was no running away from that fact. 

She sighed. Edric and Amity would soon finally know, and even if they couldn't help her, the thought of them calling her their sister rather than their brother, and "Emira" instead of "Emmett" filled her with enough happiness. 

_If it turns out that way._ Her stomach twisted and her heart raced. 

"Hey, Emmett!" Edric's cheerful voice filled the room, nearly making Emira jump. "Whatcha doin'?" 

"Hi, Edric," Emira awkwardly greeted back as her brother shut the door and fell back onto his own bed. The nasally low pitch of her voice made her feel worse, but also increased her willpower to go through with her revelation. 

"Something bugging you, bro?" Edric looked at her with concern, clearly noticing the unease in her voice. 

"Well, Ed, I, uh, kinda wanted to talk to you about something. Something important." 

"Okay." Edric maintained his nonchalant look and laid back on his bed with his hands under his head. 

"I... I'm pretty sure I'm a girl." 

Edric's nonchalant look turned to one of surprise, and he sat himself up and stared at his sibling. Emira looked back at him and then quickly looked away, feeling her heart race. 

"Huh?" 

There was no turning back now. "I'm a girl." 

"Oh." Edric blinked slowly and nodded as the information processed in his brain. "Okay. I see." 

"I-is that okay?" 

Edric tilted his head. "What? Of course it is. A little surprising, but there's nothing wrong with it. You're my sib either way, whether you're a brother or sister." 

Emira looked back at her brother. "So, um, it's not awkward or anything, since we're twins?" 

"Nah," replied Edric. With a small smile, he added, "I get to see what I'd look like as a girl. I'm not one, but that'll still be cool." 

Emira laughed. "Ten snails I'll make a hotter girl than you a boy." 

"Ohh, is that what this is all about? You just think our genes will be more hot in a lady's body?" 

"Edric!" Emira feigned anger, but couldn't quite wipe away the smile on her face enough for it to be convincing. 

"I'm kidding!" He laughed. "I can't be the judge of that anyway, since you're my sister and I like dudes." He leaned in and whispered in Emira's ear, "But honestly, you probably will look better as a girl." 

"I know," Emira whispered back. "Because I'll look less like you." 

"Shut up!" Edric pushed his sister's face away as she laughed. 

As the laughter subsided, Emira looked gratefully at her brother. "Thank you, Edric." 

"No problem, uhhh..." Edric looked up in confusion. "What's your name now?" 

"Call me Emira." 

"Okee doke." 

After a few moments of silence, Edric spoke again. "So... Emira, are you gonna tell Mittens? And what about Mom and Dad?" 

The happy flutter in Emira's stomach of being called her proper name was almost enough to negate the sinking realization that her task wasn't over. Almost. 

"Amity, I was gonna tell today, too. But Mom and Dad? I dunno..." 

"Yea," agreed Edric. "Haven't even had the guts to tell them I'm gay yet." 

Another silence fell over the twins. Emira took a deep breath. "But I think I'm ready to tell Amity. I mean, she rats on us a lot, but this isn't something she'd rat on me about, is it?" 

"Nah," Edric replied. "That's way too low, especially for her." 

"You're right. Do you think she'll understand?" 

"She's eleven, and she's pretty smart. I think she'll get it." 

"Right again." Emira slid off the bed and walked towards the door. "Well, I'll get to telling her then." 

"Good luck." 

Emira walked down the hallway toward her younger sister's bedroom, feeling a bit more confident this time around. She eventually reached the door with the sign on it that read, 

_AMITY'S ROOM_  
_KEEP OUT_  
_(especially YOU, Edric and Emmett)_

She ignored the sign, as she and Edric always did, and knocked on the door. "Hey, Amity, are you in there?" 

"Go away." 

"Amity, can you please let me in? I need to talk to you about something." 

"I'm doing some homework and could do without bothersome older brothers, thank you." 

"Amity, please. This is important." 

"Then talk to me about it at dinner." 

Emira sighed and spoke more quietly. "It's not something I want Mom or Dad knowing about." 

There was a long pause and some footsteps drew closer to the door before it opened, and Amity looked up at her with some surprise lining her usually stoic expression. 

She narrowed her eyes, though, as she spoke to Emira. "What is it, Emmett? Make it quick." 

Emira stepped inside and gently closed the door, which Amity at first looked like she was going to protest against, but then tilted her head in confusion. 

"Wow," she said more calmly. "You've never acted like _this_ before about anything." 

"I just really don't want Mom or Dad to know what I'm about to tell you." 

"Well," Amity said with a shrug, "go ahead and say whatever you need to say then." 

"I just talked to Edric about this, and he was cool about it, so I hope you will be, too..." 

"Get on with it, Emmett." Amity tapped her foot impatiently. 

"That's the thing," Emira said quickly. "I-I'm not Emmett. I prefer Emira. I-I'm a girl, not a boy." 

"Oh." Amity looked the same way Edric did when he was told. "Wasn't expecting that, but I'm glad you told me." 

"So you're okay with it?" Emira smiled. 

Amity smiled back. "Brother or sister, you're obnoxious either way." 

"I know." 

"Anyway..." Amity walked back over to her door, opened it, and took the sign off the front of it, scribbling over the _Edric and Emmett_ in red marker and writing _annoying siblings_ over top of that in black. "And on that note, get out of my room." 

Emira chuckled and did as her sister said. "Later, Mittens." 

"Later... Emira." 

Emira closed the door and sighed again, this time with happiness. Her parents didn't need to know. Edric and Amity knew her as their sister now, and the possibility of having the body she wanted seemed just a bit closer.

**Author's Note:**

> I guess it just makes sense to me that Edric would be the one to kinda impulsively decide to tell everyone, parents included, while Emira would be a bit more thoughtful and pragmatic and take it more slowly, telling only her siblings (at first). 
> 
> Obviously, I set these a few years before canon, so what happens after that that leads them down their transition from there is up to you. What I think is that Odalia and Alador begrudgingly came around and paid for whatever the magic equivalent of HRT is, or if that didn't happen, they combine their magic to cast an illusion spell that makes them appear more like their gender when they're out in public. 
> 
> Merry Crisis, everyone. 🎄


End file.
